How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

"Brother Li!" He Fang raised his wine cup. "Do you think that Grand Secretary Li of the Wenyuan Pavilion truly intends to meet his end?"

"It's hard to say!" Li Zhongze raised his cup of wine: "In the past, this Grand Secretary was not involved in factional strife and never took sides with any faction. However, on that day in the Golden Hall, when the Prime Minister proposed that the Ministry of Justice go to Lingnan, he stood up and changed the chief investigator of the Ministry of Justice to the chief investigator of the 'Dingchao Division'. This suggestion was very disadvantageous to us and was a slap in the face to the Minister of Justice, Song.

"This doesn't necessarily indicate his stance!" He Fang said. "This Grand Secretary has always been known to 'oppose the Prime Minister.' Opposing the Prime Minister is a fundamental tenet of his official career, so it's only natural that he would oppose him."

"In the past, he mostly failed in his rebellions, but this time he has won His Majesty's approval. The Prime Minister is furious, and I've heard that the Crown Prince's side is also furious."

"Li Lüyi's actions are clearly a declaration to His Majesty that the Ministry of Justice is unreliable. His Highness the Crown Prince will naturally be angry, but facing this Grand Secretary of extraordinary status, even if His Highness is angry, he cannot vent it." He Fang said, "I only hope that Your Highness will take down the root of the trouble, then Lord Li, you may have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The root cause of the dispute did not refer to the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, but to Lin Xiangdao, the Minister of Works.

"Lord He is joking!" Li Zhongze said, "Even if the Minister of Works falls from grace because of this, the Ministry of Works still has the Vice Minister of the Left waiting in the wings. That person is also a confidant of the Crown Prince. How could it be your or my turn?"

He Fang laughed and said, "The position of Minister of Works is not the only second-rank official in the court. As long as we work together wholeheartedly for His Highness the Crown Prince, why worry about not having a good position in the future?"

That's true!

Who is His Highness the Crown Prince?

That's the Crown Prince!

He is destined to become emperor.

They'll all be put to important positions sooner or later, so there's no need to rush to compete for second-rank vacancies right now.

In their high spirits, they seemed to have the position of Minister of Works already in their grasp. Indeed, Minister of Works Lin Xiangdao's first attack in the Golden Hall that day had already aroused the resentment of top powers, including the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister. Taking him down was only a matter of time.

What's missing is just a reason.

Suddenly, a wild goose cried out in the sky, and a golden goose soared through the air, carrying with it the unique power of literature and art, and shot towards the Jade Smoke Tower.

The letter was delivered by a wild goose!

This was a common occurrence in Nanyang, but when He Fang received the letter carried by a wild goose, he was suddenly startled...

Almost simultaneously, another letter arrived through the clouds and mist, landing in Li Zhongze's hands. Upon opening it, Li Zhongze's hand trembled violently: "A letter from Qishan?"

"Qishan has actually mastered the Way of Literature?" He Fang's heart skipped a beat.

In the past few days, they have received many letters carried by wild geese, but most of them came from the capital.

Unexpectedly, today I received a letter from Qishan carried by a wild goose.

How is that possible?

As is widely known, Lingnan is a "discarded land" for literature and art.

In Lingnan Prefecture, it was impossible for the transmission of literary and religious texts.

Moreover, Qishan County is the closest to Wudao Valley.

However, they did indeed receive a letter from Qishan County, and the signature at the end was that of Wendao, a disciple who had accompanied the steward in the funeral arrangements...

The two vice ministers' eyes fell on the letter in their hands.

Their facial expressions changed simultaneously.

The reason why Qishan can transmit letters through literature has been found: Ten days ago, Zhou Wenju created a new ci poem on Gushan Mountain, named "Po Zhen Zi". He opened the way to the sea fishing, and the blue light of literature covered the entire city. The power of literature in Qishan County was partially restored, and letters can be transmitted through literature!

This is why letters can be sent between them.

Next comes the important part of delivering the message...

Qishan County Magistrate Zhou Liangsheng has just issued a "Public Notice to Reassure the People," registering all land and assets in the county under the names of the villagers. The He family registered one mu of residential land, three mu of paddy fields, two mu of dry land, half a mu of mountain forest, and a shop. The Li family registered one mu of residential land, two mu of paddy fields, three mu of dry land, and one mu of mountain forest.

Besides that, there is nothing!

The 300,000 mu of fertile land, forests, and shops that originally belonged to the He and Li families were all gone.

To dare to blatantly embezzle the Vice Minister's property is simply outrageous!

The two stewards were furious and went to the county government office. Zhou Liangsheng produced the county government office's records, which were exactly the same as those posted on the notice board...

The two vice ministers' faces simultaneously turned grim.

The two stewards nearby were furious at the same time—a high-ranking official's residence like theirs usually had at least two stewards; the outer steward had gone out to attend to the funeral arrangements, while the inner steward stayed by the master's side.

The steward of the He family said, "Zhou Liangsheng is truly audacious and reckless. This old servant is certain that he has absolutely tampered with the stub!"

"Exactly!" said the steward of the Li family. "Putting everything else aside, those seventeen shops in the south of the city were personally managed by this old servant for the master. The land deeds clearly state that they belong to my Li family. Now that the rioters have entered the city, they first burned the land deeds and then altered the stubs. Zhou Liangsheng dares to violate the imperial laws so blatantly. This alone is enough to warrant the execution of his entire family!"

"Isn't the patriarch looking for evidence of the Zhou family's crimes? This is the evidence!" the He family steward exclaimed...

"Fool!" The two words floated over lightly.

A white-clad figure stepped past from the adjacent room.

This is a refined and otherworldly young master.

With his handsome and dashing appearance and elegant and graceful demeanor, his footsteps left the rooftop resembling a chessboard, and he seemed as ethereal as a master of the game.

"Mr. Bai!" The two vice ministers stood up at the same time.

We welcomed this young master surnamed Bai.

Because this person is no ordinary individual.

He was Bai Luoshui, a favorite of the Crown Prince.

He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the previous imperial examination. After entering the Crown Prince's residence, he was greatly favored and is now someone who can play chess with His Highness the Crown Prince in his spare time.

Bai Luoshui's gaze fell on the faces of the two vice ministers: "You two should understand that Zhou Liangsheng dared to do this because he was prepared to fight to the death. Are you prepared?"

A fight to the death!

This is Bai Luoshui's judgment!

Under normal circumstances, a county official would never dare to tamper with the stub.

In front of superiors, or even if it infringes upon their personal interests, it is even more impossible to tamper with the stubs.

But he did exactly that anyway.

The message being conveyed is: this county official is willing to risk everything to bring you down.

So, how will you respond?

Must this matter be brought before the court officials? Must we really settle this matter with His Majesty?

Why do you insist on securing the right to have your 300,000 mu of fertile land and over 300 shops listed on your name?

Regardless of whether they lost.

Even if you win, you still lose!

Because once these huge sums of money end up in your household, you're confirmed to be corrupt. That's the biggest advantage of this card: once it's revealed, you're doomed no matter what you do!

The two vice ministers looked ashen-faced.

Their throats felt like they had just swallowed a greenbottle fly...

I feel bloated and nauseous, but I just can't vomit!

Having been in officialdom for a long time, they were not ignorant people. What Bai Luoshui could see, they could naturally see as well.

Zhou Liangsheng dared to play this card, dared to personally hand you the evidence of his illegal and disorderly conduct of "tampering with the stub," so he himself didn't intend to have an easy time. If he didn't intend to have an easy time, what about you? Don't you intend to have an easy time either?

He was just a lowly seventh-rank official demoted to Lingnan, his future completely hopeless, his career limited to what he could possibly achieve. And what about me? Two promising third-rank vice-ministers, if they were branded with a corruption charge, not only would they be under the watchful eye of the Minister of Works, making any attempt to get past that hurdle a headache, but even if they did, it would have repercussions in the future. His Highness the Crown Prince, if he wanted to entrust them with important responsibilities, would have to consider the consequences. If this matter affected their careers, it would truly be a loss for them.

"Send a reply over there!" He Fang waved his hand lightly. "Tell them not to dwell on the gains and losses of a single house or piece of land, and to return immediately after the funeral!"

Li Zhongze gently raised his head: "Go and do it, just like Lord He's arrangement!"

The two stewards immediately took action, instructing their servants to send a reply by mail...

With no one else around the coffee table, Bai Luoshui smiled gently and sat down.

He Fang personally poured a cup of wine for Bai Luoshui, handing it to him with both hands: "What do you think of this scheme orchestrated by that little brat Zhou in Qishan County?"

"Is this the beginning of a new poetic form, a start to the literary pursuits?"

"yes!"

Bai Luoshui gently raised his wine glass, took a small sip, and exclaimed, "A masterpiece! Like an antelope hanging its horns on a tree!"

The phrase "antelope hanging its horns" is generally used to describe martial arts moves, implying that the move is unpredictable yet incredibly skillful.

But when applied to Zhou Wenju, both vice ministers understood.

Originally, the Zhou family father and son were caught in the vortex of the popular uprising, and all their moves should have revolved around the popular uprising.

At this critical juncture, Zhou Wenju made a move that had absolutely nothing to do with the popular uprising.

It may seem unrelated to the popular uprising, but it is actually the finishing touch...

"Please continue, sir!" He Fang said.

"With just this one move, he won over the hearts of the scholars of Qishan! From then on, the 300,000 people and thousands of scholars of Qishan County all looked at him with new eyes. What's even more ingenious is that this move was made right under the noses of the two chief officials of the Dingchao Division." Bai Luoshui spoke eloquently.

"The two Left Secretaries of the Dingchao Division?" Li Zhongze asked. "Does the gentleman already know who has come?"

"Two people have arrived. One is Zhong Ba from the Zhongzi Sect, and the other is Xin Shisan from the Xinzi Sect," Bai Luoshui said.

"How come they're all ranked so high?" He Fang frowned slightly.

He certainly knew that the nine gates under the Dingchao Division were divided according to Confucian doctrines, namely benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and brotherly love. Regardless of which gate they belonged to, those ranked above the fiftieth were the true confidants of the Dingchao Division Chief.

The two people who came here are ranked eighth and thirteenth respectively.

That's more than just being near the front.

That was incredibly advanced!

Bai Luoshui slowly said, "I have also learned some information that is quite unfavorable to the two of you."

He Fang and Li Zhongze's hearts tightened simultaneously: "Please enlighten us, sir!"

Bai Luoshui said, "His Majesty intends to bestow favors in exchange for two things. One is that secular divine weapon called 'Spear,' and the other is Zhou Wenju's contribution to the 'Green Mountain Literary Society' in the war!"

"What?" He Fang's expression changed.

Li Zhongze's expression also changed.

Bai Luoshui's gaze swept across the two officials' faces: "Now you understand, right? There's this crucial reason why I didn't let you get bogged down in land and farmhouses! Because the Emperor's will is made up, no matter how much you struggle, under the current circumstances, you won't be able to harm a hair on the head of the Zhou family! You'll only bring trouble upon yourselves!"

The two vice ministers turned deathly pale.

They understood completely.

Why did His Majesty adopt the suggestion of the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion?

Why did His Majesty, contrary to his usual practice, allow Zhou Liang Sheng to quell the chaos he himself created?

Everything has a purpose!

What His Majesty desires is this divine weapon called a "gun".

He even wanted this master of poetry to serve him!

With this important goal in mind, everything else is insignificant.

Even if you present irrefutable evidence of Zhou Liangsheng's illegal and disorderly conduct before His Majesty, His Majesty will still exonerate him. You cannot bring Zhou Liangsheng down; you will only incur His Majesty's wrath for "ruining His Majesty's plans."

"The remnants of Yantai's resurgence seems unstoppable!" Li Zhongze sighed softly. "Can His Highness the Crown Prince really bear to see the already settled conflict reignite?"

This statement may seem like just a sentimental remark, but it's actually quite provocative.

The Yantai case was the biggest political tragedy since the current emperor ascended the throne. Although more than five years have passed, it remains a taboo topic.

The Yantai case was suppressed by the Crown Prince.

The officials involved in the Yantai case, who were either killed or demoted, were all opponents of the Crown Prince.

This naturally includes Zhou Liangsheng.

Zhou Liangsheng was demoted to Lingnan, and in the officialdom, he had fallen to the very bottom. It was clear that he could not cause any trouble and naturally posed no threat to the crown prince.

However, a sudden change has occurred.

Zhou Wenju, the son of a remnant of the Yantai regime, shows signs of rising to prominence unexpectedly.

His Majesty has taken a liking to the "spear" he forged, and even more so to his talent in poetry. He actually intends to have him participate in the "Qingshan Literary Gathering." How could the Qingshan Literary Gathering be an ordinary gathering?

Even a scientific prodigy like Bai Luoshui was not qualified.

Zhou Wenju will definitely shine if he participates!

If one excels, the accumulated literary fame will be extraordinary, and one may very well soar to great heights in the future.

Wouldn't that allow the remnants of Yantai to seize the opportunity and make a comeback?

He, Zhou Wenju, and his Zhou family...

They will all become a major threat to the Crown Prince in the future!

He was clearly reminding Bai Luoshui, the person close to the Crown Prince: Are you just going to watch the hidden dangers grow bigger and bigger?

Bai Luoshui gave a clear answer: "To eliminate him, two prerequisites are indispensable. First, there must be an indisputable reason for his execution; second, we must wait for these two Si Zuo to leave Qishan County!"

"If His Majesty is deliberately protecting someone, such a reason will not be easy to find..." Li Zhongze frowned.

"It was indeed difficult at first, but a sudden opportunity has fallen into the hands of the Prince of Rulan!" Bai Luoshui smiled lightly: "Just wait, when this grand drama in Qishan comes to an end, when that brat Zhou thinks his path is clear, then we'll use the Prince of Rulan to deliver a fatal blow. Even if His Majesty is angry, it won't reach His Highness the Crown Prince..."

As he explained, the dark clouds on the faces of the two vice ministers cleared up, and eventually the sky became clear and bright.

With a whoosh, the two stood up simultaneously and bowed: "Sir, your wisdom and insight are truly invaluable to His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The gaze sweeps across Nanyang, over Pingfeng Ridge, over Lingnan Prefecture, and along the Donghe River all the way up. At a quiet corner, there are eight old willows, three green plum trees, a small courtyard, and a nine-foot red pavilion. This is the small courtyard that Zhou Wenju recently purchased.

The setting sun lazily streamed overhead.

Zhou Wenju, reclining on the chair, squinted as he surveyed the courtyard, which was gradually taking shape.

A courtyard still needs people to live in it; otherwise, it will fall into disrepair in just a few months.

Isn't it good to tidy up now?

Footsteps, tap-tap-tap, someone's coming...

The plot is heating up: Update! Come and check it out!